1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to hand held electronic devices and methods for instructing bowlers, and in particular to an improved device and method for displaying the correct path of the bowling ball for various standing pin configurations and different parameters that affect the actual path of the ball after being released.
2. Background Information
Bowling is a game so cleverly designed that a beginner can quite consistently roll the ball sixty (60) feet down the alley, and knock down many pins. Then it always appears that it will be easy for him to improve those early scores. However even the top experts rarely achieve a perfect score of 300. Although it appears deceptively simple to knock down all of the pins with one ball, it is in reality a very complex problem. Novice bowlers are usually told that to roll a strike (the first ball) they should aim for the "pocket" between the number one and the number two pins. This is not as simple as it appears, because the ball, for consistent results, must approach this pocket at an angle to the centerline of the bowling alley. This requires that the ball follow a curved path often referred to as a hook, as it approaches the pins. At the beginning of its path, the ball must have no curvature or a minimum curvature as it travels down one side of the alley until it approaches the pins. Then it must turn to follow a path that will hit the number five (5) pin which is on the centerline of the alley; after it hits the number one (1) and two (2) pins.
The necessary hook is achieved by the bowler giving the ball a spin around an axis parallel to the ball path. The dynamic factors that then determine the curve the ball follows are most complex. The sliding and rolling velocity relative to the alley surface changes, as it skids down the alley and, thus the coefficients of friction for rolling and sliding change. There are additional causes for the friction with the alley to be variable, such as the different kinds of treatments applied to different parts of the alley. The last third of the surface of bowling alleys are treated to have a higher coefficient of friction. As the ball approaches the pins, the total friction due to the spin increases the desired cross alley vector of the ball motion. The curved path that the ball follows therefore, is not a simple conic section or any other curve definable by a simple mathematical expression. There are many different alternate paths for the second ball depending on the configuration of pins still standing after the first ball has been thrown. This is because each different combination of pins left standing after the first ball, has its own unique requirements in addition to the difference in the friction parameters among alleys and delivery characteristics of each bowler.
It is not part of the natural abilities of the human being to visualize the complex curves the bowling ball will follow. The novice bowler is doomed to less than a desired score, in part, because he does the obvious by trying to aim the ball at the pins, which is never very successful. Rather than aim directly at the the pins, the most successful and professional bowlers get better scores by memorizing many different sets of three points on the ball path curves as required for each different bowling pin configuration. Then they precisely control their throw through the first part of the ball path. This is achieved by determining the point on the foul line where the ball is released and by aiming at a point about 15 feet down the alley, where markers are provided on a standard alley (hereinafter referred to as arrows). Then these experts make an additional minor adjustment based on experience, and a knowledge of where the ball should hit the pins. However, even the most experienced bowlers do have difficulty remembering many of the aiming positions, as is indicated by such memory supporting devices as charts on their bowling gloves, to help them remember more points.
The multiplicity of pins and the deflections of the ball by different pins and the very complex reactions from multiple impacts with rebounds between the pins as the ball continues to hit more of them causes many very different results for very small differences in where the ball first hits a pin. There are many more different results with the second ball rolled, which depend on the many different configurations of pins that can be standing after the first ball. The professional and expert bowlers try to remember as many of these different ball paths as possible. They then change their starting position and thus the point where they release the ball and where they aim the ball over the the markers or arrows on the alley according to the configuration of pins standing. Only with advice from a bowling coach do most novice bowlers learn the importance of the different ball release points and different points where the ball should be aimed for different pin configurations. Learning about some of these not so obvious factors, and how to deal with them, usually involves considerable time and a good memory. The bowling tutor of this invention stores the aiming points on the ball path in its memory for different pin configurations, and recalls the correct set of points for the pin configuration indicated.
The prior art discloses many different type devices to assist bowlers to aim their ball for better scores. There are many rather small mechanical analog devices which are separate, portable, and independent of the bowling alley and its equipment and instrumentation. Most such devices are based on the assumption that the ball follows a simple curved path. Said curved path is supported on one member, which is pivoted on a second member that has the markings of the bowling alley printed thereon. The physics that controls the ball motion is so complex, that any mechanical analog device such as these, based on a single, simple curved ball path can not provide an accurate indication of how or where to throw the ball for all of the different pin configurations.
The prior art also discloses various devices that are of an electrical or electronic nature but all are an integral part of the full scale bowling alley equipment and are integrated into the lane structure. These devices depend on the output of the pin spotter machines for the input and display of the configuration of standing pins. Many of these devices merely indicate by a lighted arrow on a display usually, directly above the pins on the alley, the target point where the ball should be aimed. In addition to where to hit the standing pins, the different lighted arrows on the display, point at the pins from different directions. The direction of the lighted arrow is supposed to indicate how the ball should approach the pins. In all of these devices. The display driving systems are all integrated into the pin spotting machines and receive their input directly from the pin grabbers.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,607,843 discloses an arrangement that uses input from the bowler, and recognizes the bowlers characteristics, provides an indication where the bowler should stand, and one other point on the path of his ball. However, this patent requires that the wood surface of the bowling alley be modified to install indicator lights therein, which is contrary to the requirements of the American Bowling Congress for bowling league play. The present invention avoids the shortcomings of the prior art by providing an improved portable electronic device and method for displaying and indicating the correct path to the bowler for various pin configurations, alley conditions and delivery characteristics.